Colonels headed to playoffs

LEDYARD — There was a palpable feeling of anticipation on the Ledyard sideline when Joe Carter took a handoff and headed outside late in the second quarter on Thursday at Bill Mignault Field.

With the annual Thanksgiving Day game with rival Fitch tied and facing a 3rd-and-12 in their own territory, the Colonels weren’t necessarily looking to score on the play, but any time Carter can get to the outside, the chance is there.

“The main objective was to use my speed to get to the outside,” Carter said.

A state champion sprinter and one of the fastest guys in the state, Carter ran away from Fitch’s defense for a 59-yard touchdown — the first of his two long touchdown runs — and Ledyard defeated Fitch, 49-19, to keep the Colonel Ledyard sword and qualify for the Class M playoffs for the second time in three years.

Ledyard (9-2) is the No. 7 seed in Class M and will play at No. 2 St. Joseph in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday. Official pairings will be announced Saturday.

Strong running

On a windy and cold day, Ledyard coach Jim Buonocore put the ball in the hands of his backs and gave Carter more carries than usual, throwing just three times — none in the second half.

Carter, JoJo Shumaker and Jordan Kowalski combined for over 350 yards and scored four touchdowns, while Ty Ebdon’s first two completions went for touchdowns to River Thomas.

“I don’t think anybody thought we’d be 9-2 and heading to the playoffs,” Kowalski said. “Guys just stepped up. Guys were willing to work and willing to win.”

While both Carter and Kowalski admitted they didn’t think a playoff berth was possible prior to the season, Buonocore may have had an inkling.

“I knew we were young and inexperienced and had a lot of holes to fill,” said Buonocore, who has won six straight Thanksgiving games since coming over from Fitch. “But I knew skill-wise, we had some guys. The progression would have to take place up front and it has. The kids believed in the process and it’s been a lot of fun. It’s a good group.”

Ebdon threw a pair of short touchdown passes to Thomas to put the Colonels up 13-0 after one quarter, but Fitch (4-7) came back to tie it on a 1-yard quarterback keeper by Robert Duncan and a 53-yard run by John Moscol (168 rushing yards).

“The first half was great,” first-year Fitch coach Jordan Panucci said. “That was exactly how we wanted to look. We were in it. Then it was small mistakes. You can’t allow those things to happen.”

Putting it away

But Carter’s second-quarter touchdown run put the Colonels up for good and Ledyard scored three straight touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away.

They scored twice in a 48-second span late in the third. After a Shumaker 64-yard run, Luke Saccone forced a fumble and Kevin McDonald recovered to set up Kowalski’s 18-yard scoring run.

“(Fitch) came back and scored twice and turned it into a dogfight,” Carter said. “Everybody should be excited. All four years, we’re undefeated (on Thanksgiving).”

It will be Buonocore’s third trip to the playoffs in six seasons at Ledyard.

“I think this team has a legit chance to compete for a state championship and we’ll see where we’ll be on Tuesday night,” Buonocore said.